An British Imperial View of the History of Bahrain

[cb editor note: interesting but woefully absent the history of brutality against the people of Bahrain. …would be revealing to see body counts and account of torture and punishment during each of these periods. ]

Bahrian Profile
16 August 2011 Last updated at 04:16 ET

A chronology of key events:

1913 – Britain and the Ottoman government sign a treaty recognising the independence of Bahrain but the country remains under British administration.

1931 – The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company of California (Socal), discovers oil at Jabal al-Dukhan and productio begins the following year.

1939 – Britain decides that the Hawar Islands which lie in the Gulf of Bahrain between Bahrain and Qatar belong to Bahrain not Qatar.

1961 – Sheikh Isa Bin-Salman Al Khalifah becomes ruler of Bahrain.
Britain moves bases

1967 – Britain moves its main regional naval base from Aden to Bahrain.

1968 – Britain announces it will close its bases east of Suez by 1971.

1970 – The Administrative Council becomes a 12-member Council of State, headed by a president, the ruler’s brother, Sheikh Khalifah Bin-Salman Al Khalifah.

1970 May – Iran renounces its claim to sovereignty over Bahrain after a United Nations report shows that Bahrainis want to remain independent.
Independence

1971 – Bahrain declares independence and signs a new treaty of friendship with Britain. Sheikh Isa becomes the first Emir and the Council of State becomes a cabinet.

1971 – Bahrain gains formal independence from Britain.

1971 – Bahrain and the US sign an agreement which permits the US to rent naval and military facilities.

1972 December – Elections are held for a Constituent Assembly. Only Bahraini males over 20 can vote.

1973 December – After the constitution comes into force on 6 December, elections are held on 7 December for a National Assembly, an advisory legislative body, with 44 members (14 cabinet members and 30 elected by male voters) . Assembly dissolved

1975 August – Following claims by prime minister Sheikh Khalifah Bin-Salman Al Khalifah that the National Assembly is impeding the work of the government, the Emir dissolves the assembly and rules by decree.

1981 May – Bahrain joins the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, more usually known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which also includes Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

1981 December – Seventy-three people, said to be members of the Tehran-based Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain, headed by Iranian cleric, Hojjat ol-Eslam Hadi al-Mudarrisi, are arrested and accused of conspiring to overthrow the government on 16 December, Bahrain’s National Day.

1986 – In April, Qatari troops occupy Fasht al-Dibal Island but withdraw in June after mediation by Saudi Arabia.

1986 November – Opening of the King Fahd causeway which links Bahrain to the mainland of Saudi Arabia.
Operation Desert Storm

1991 January/February – As part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Peninsula Shield Force, Bahrain participates in the coalition “Operation Desert Storm” against Iraq (the Gulf War)

1991 July – Qatar takes its territorial claim to the Hawar Islands, Fasht al-Dibal and Qitat Jaradah before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague but Bahrain rejects the claims.
Defence agreement with US

1991 October – Bahrain signs a defence cooperation agreement with the United States providing for port facilities and joint military exercises.

1992 December – The establishment of a 30-member Consultative Council, appointed by the emir for a four-year term.

1994 December – Demonstrations follow the arrest on 5 December of Shia cleric, Sheikh Ali Salman, who calls for the restoration of the National Assembly and criticises the ruling family.

1995 January – Sheikh Ali Salman is deported and seeks asylum in Britain.

1995 February – Bahrain rejects International Court of Justice (ICJ) mediation in its dispute with Qatar.

1995 June – After a reshuffle, the cabinet includes five Shia ministers.

1995 September – A Shia cleric, Sheikh Abd-al-Amir al-Jamri, arrested in April, is released from prison.

1996 January/February – After bomb explosions in Manama’s business quarter, Al-Jamri is arrested again on 18 January. A Sunni lawyer and poet, Ahmad al-Shamlan, is also detained on 8 February, but released in April.
‘Coup plot’ uncovered

1996 June – The government says it has uncovered a coup plot by an Iranian-backed group, Hezbollah-Bahrain. Bahrain recalls its ambassador to Iran and downgrades its representation to charge d’affaires level.

1996 September – The Consultative Council members are increased from 30 to 40.

1997 April – Bahrain acquires sole ownership of Bapco.

1998 February – Sheikh Khalid Bin-Muhammad Bin-Salman Al Khalifah replaces British citizen, Ian Henderson, as Director of the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS).

1998 December – Bahrain provides military facilities for “Operation Desert Fox”, the US and UK bombing campaign against Iraq.

1999 March – The emir, Sheikh Isa, dies and is succeeded by his eldest son, Sheikh Hamad. On March 9, Sheikh Hamad’s son, Sheikh Salman, becomes Crown Prince.

1999 July – Sheikh Abd-al-Amir al-Jamri is sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment but is pardoned by the new Emir.

1999 December – The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al Thani, visits. Both countries establish committee to settle territorial disputes.

2000 September – Emir appoints for the first time non-Muslims and women to the Consultative Council, including four women – one of whom is a Christian – and a Jewish businessman.

2001 February – Referendum on political reform; Bahrainis overwhelmingly back proposals under which Bahrain would become constitutional monarchy with elected lower chamber of parliament and independent judiciary.

2002 February – Bahrain turns itself into a constitutional monarchy and allows women to stand for office in a package of reforms.

2002 May – Local elections are held, Bahrain’s first poll for almost 30 years. For the first time women vote and stand as candidates, but fail to win a seat.

2002 October – Parliamentary elections held, the first for nearly 30 years. Authorities say the turnout was more than 50% despite a call by Islamists for a boycott.

2003 May – Thousands of victims of alleged torture petition king to cancel law which prevents them from suing suspected torturers.

2004 April – Nada Haffadh is made health minister – the first woman to head a government ministry.

2004 May – Protests in Manama against fighting in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf, Karbala. The king sacks the interior minister after police try to prevent the protest.
Trade deal

2004 September – Bahrain and US sign free trade pact; Saudi Arabia condemns the move, saying it hinders regional economic integration.

2005 March-June – Thousands of protest marchers demand a fully-elected parliament.

2006 January – US President George W Bush signs a bill to enact the 2004 US-Bahrain free-trade agreement after it is approved by the US Congress.

2006 March – A pleasure boat capsizes off the Bahrain coast, claiming the lives of 58 passengers.

2006 November – The Shia opposition wins 40% of the vote in a general election. A Shia Muslim, Jawad bin Salem al-Oraied, is named as a deputy prime minister.

2007 September – Thousands of illegal foreign workers rush to take advantage of a government-sanctioned amnesty.
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Anti-government protester in Manama’s Pearl Square

The 2011 pro-democracy protests were brutally suppressed by the kingdom’s security forces

2008 May – A Jewish woman, Houda Nonoo, is appointed Bahrain’s ambassador to the USA. She is believed to be the Arab world’s first Jewish ambassador.

2008 December – Authorities arrest several people who allegedly planned to detonate homemade bombs during Bahrain’s national celebrations.

2009 April – King pardons more than 170 prisoners charged with endangering national security, including 35 Shias being tried on charges of trying to overthrow the state.

2010 September – 20 Shia opposition leaders – accused of plotting to overthrow monarchy by promoting violent protests and sabotage – arrested in run-up to elections.

2010 October – Parliamentary elections. Main Shia opposition group, Islamic National Accord Association, makes a slender gain.
Protests

2011 February – Thousands of protesters gather in Manama, inspired by popular revolts that toppled rulers in Tunisia and Egypt. A security crackdown results in the death of several protestors.

The king releases a number of political prisoners as a conciliatory gesture. Prominent Shia opposition figure Hassan Mushaima returns from exile after government drops charges against him.

2011 March – Saudi troops are called in following further unrest. Authorities declare martial law and clamp down hard on pro-democracy activists. Protests continue, despite ban on demonstrations.

Focal point of demonstrations – the Pearl monument – is demolished.

2011 April – Government moves to ban two main political parties which represent the Shia majority. Four protesters sentenced to death for killing two policemen.

2011 June – State of emergency is lifted, but heavy security remains in place. …source BBC